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NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- BPN, the global media agency network within IPG Mediabrands, the global media and innovation division of the Interpublic Group (NYS: IPG) , today released its 2013 Retail Trends Report. They have identified four key trends that they predict will have a significant impact on shopper marketing and retail strategies this holiday shopping season and beyond.

Most pervasive is the rise of the "Mansumer" - a new breed of male shoppers created in part by the recession, who are now Chief Buying Officers for their households and make a majority of household purchase decisions.

While the job market for men has recently improved, the lasting effects of the recession have altered the traditional "provider" paradigm. With that, the new chief buyer in the American household is the man of the house. With the rise of the "mansumer" comes a whole new set of potential seed changes in advertising, purchase patterns and common marketing practices.

At the height of the recession, unemployment was more than 2% higher for men. Whether by choice or by need, men are now in charge of child care, shopping and household activities - and they embrace their new role and the impact they can make.

40% of men are now the primary grocery shopper in the household; 44% of men say they equally share in housecleaning and a whopping 86% of men agree being a man equals doing what is necessary to keep the household running. And that includes buying the holiday gifts.

Men Shop Differently: For men, shopping activity is more functional than emotional, and the purpose is to solve a problem or meet a need. To them, the priority is convenience and most of all that their ability to make informative decision is met.

"Men don't just shop. They buy. Through our research and analysis, we are seeing that, whether by choice or obligation, men are doing more shopping than they have in the past," said Liz Ross, President, BPN North America and co-author of the 2013 Retail Trends Report. "These men are no longer disenfranchised; rather, they are empowered by technology and a growing recognition of the contributions they make," she added.

Recommendations for Retailers: Holiday Shopping 2012 and Beyond

To best leverage these changes in the way consumers shop, Doug Johnson, VP, Shopping Experiences and Insights, BPN, recommends that retailers consider taking some of the following steps to ensure that their businesses are ready for the new era of marketing to men:

Retailers can create recognition programs in line with the Mansumer 's need for praise.

Consider increasing the number of price match opportunities on a broader scale, mirroring successful online deals in physical locations.

Replace the words "Can I help you" with "Let's do this."

Re-examine your gift card strategy. Needs may be different this year because the Mansumer is aware of exactly what his family wants this holiday season. He's no longer unsure what to buy.

Refine and messages of simplicity, ease and value.

Ensure product reviews, information and comparisons can live within product advertising

1. The Rise of the Mansumer - as men make more household purchase decisions, marketers must shift strategy to reach this newly influential Chief Buying Officer.

2. The Continued Growth of "Shopper Marketing" - Forget consumers. Forget customers. Today, it's about the shopper. And budgets are keeping pace: this year, annual shopper marketing spend will top $50 billion, and it's still growing.

3. "Inconspicuous Consumption" - as the economic downturn continues, people are re-evaluating what matters most. Today, each purchase must maximize value - whether through eco-packaging, store brand equity, or brand loyalty rewards for all shopping activity, not just purchases.

4. Consumer-to-Consumer Marketplaces - increasingly, Consumers aren't just talking to each other; they are selling, trading, advising one another using sites like Airbnb, Pinterest, Decide.com, Needle.com and Etsy.

*Full BPN 2013 Retail Trends Report available upon request.

About BPN

BPN is a new planning and media buying agency from the IPG Mediabrands network. The mission of the BPN agency model is to build audience engagement through brand programming by pro-actively managing the client's media investment and constantly adjusting to market conditions. BPN currently has offices in 20 countries including the United States, over 200 clients worldwide and manages over $800 million in annual billings.

About IPG Mediabrands

We were founded by Interpublic Group (NYS: IPG) in 2007 to manage all of its global media related assets. Today that means we manage and invest $35 billion in global media on the behalf of our clients, employ over 6,700 diverse and daring marketing communication specialists worldwide and operate our company businesses in more than 127 countries.

A proven entity in helping clients maximize business results through integrated, intelligence-driven marketing strategies, we are a global holding company that enhances offering and performance across its network of media agencies including UM, Initiative, BPN, ORION Holdings, ID Media and its roster of specialty service agencies including MAGNA GLOBAL, Mediabrands Audience Platform (Cadreon, Reprise Media, Ansible, Spring Creek Group), IPG Media Lab, Ensemble, and Identity.